In order to provide electrical power to computer terminals or the like which may be located in the middle of a floor of an office building, it is necessary to connect such terminals by an electrical cable to a main power panel or central electrical supply in the building. The electrical cables are typically terminated with an electrical plug or receptacle that is compatible and matable with a like plug or receptacle in the computer terminals. Until the terminated cable is actually connected to the computer terminals, the unmated connector at the end of the cable is often exposed and vulnerable to foreign matter such as debris, dust, powder and other contaminants. For this reason, it is desirable to provide some form of a protective cover to protect the exposed contacts of the connector while the connector is in the unmated condition.
There are a variety of known protective covers or caps that are used to protect electrical contacts in electrical connectors. One problem that occurs with some of the known connectors is the potential for damaging the contacts during the installation or application of the protective cover to the connector. Any twisting, lifting, or deforming of the contacts during installation of the dust cover can render the connector inoperable when such connector is subsequently mated with the computer terminals or the like in operation. Accordingly, it is desirable to not only provide a protective cover for the unmated ends of a connector, but also to provide such a cover that will eliminate or reduce the potential for damage to the electrical contacts during the installation or application of the cover to the connector.